Austrian fest may add E. Europe pix

Filmmakers' federations invited to sit on fest board

COLOGNE — Austria’s film industry is split over the government’s decision to add an Eastern European edge to the traditionally all-Austrian Diagonale film fest.

Following weeks of public quarreling, Diagonale execs have invited the 12 filmmakers’ federations to sit on the fest’s decision-making board.

The Assn. of Austrian Film Producers welcomed the move, but two directors’ orgs objected and many have threatened to boycott the event.

The Austrian Directors Assn. and Verband der Filmregisseure Oesterreichs want the government to return the fest to its all-Austrian roots and remove the fest’s Serbian director Miroljub Vuckovic and co-topper Tillmann Fuchs. They are mounting a rival fest in March, in the Diagonale’s hometown of Graz.